LAST WEEK'S TOP STORIES ON FTW ONLINE

‘Unconfirmed’ new SAA CEO Monwabisi Kalawe will soon be announced as South African Airways’ new chief executive, although this has not yet been confirmed through official channels. Trans-Kalahari Railway agreement imminent The governments of Namibia and Botswana intend to sign a bilateral trade agreement for the development of the Trans-Kalahari Railway (TKR) before the end of the month, reports law firm ENS. Consumer confidence – what a gloomy picture Not even at the height of the global financial crisis in 2008 were consumers as downbeat about the country’s economic prospects and their household finances as they are now, said FNB chief economist Sizwe Nxedlana following the release of the FNB/BER Consumer Confidence Index which declined from -3 index points in 4Q2012 to a 9-year low of -7 index points in 1Q2013. Concerns raised over escalating inflation Head of Research at the South African Reserve Bank, Rashad Cassim, says rising inflation is a challenge for the central bank. “It is the origin of emerging inflationary pressure that remains the most challenging for the Monetary Policy Committee [MPC],” said Cassim, who is also a member of the bank’s MPC. Top shipping executive tries out social media platform When Maersk Group CEO Nils S Andersen visited China recently, he chose a new communications route to connect with Maersk employees, industry professionals, students and the general public – Sina Weibo, the most popular Chinese social media platform.